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Alfred HitchcockThe Man Who Knew Too Much (1934)

While travelling in Switzerland, the child of a well-off couple is kidnapped. She is held to ensure that her father does not reveal what he knows about a planned assassination. Since they can't talk to the authorities, the parents plan to begin the search for their daughter on their own.

This is the original, British-made movie from 1934 and is now in the public domain. After coming to the United States, Alfred Hitchcock produced a remake of this movie in 1956 starring James (Jimmy) Stewart and Doris Day. The remake remains under copyright.


This movie is part of the collection: Feature Films

Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Producer: Ivor Montagu
Production Company: Gaumont British Picture Corporation, Ltd.
Audio/Visual: B&W, mono
Keywords: Hitchcock; 1930s

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Reviewer: clemenza44 - - June 29, 2007
Subject: Excellent early movie.
This is a great, underappreciated early thriller. The acting was good for the time, and Peter Lorre chewed up the scenery. It also has very decent directing by Hitchcock, and IMO, the movie as a whole was well done without relying on the special effects we can use now. Too bad its in the public domain, since the prints available now are simply terrible.

Reviewer: mebegebo - - May 6, 2007
Subject: why can't I download or watch mpeg 2?
I have never seen either the original or the remake of this classic Hitchcock film. I watched the first part of the two-part mpeg downloads offered here, and now I can't get the second part to play! There they are, the father and his daughter in the clutches of that villainous Curr Lorre, the Bobbies are getting picked off one by one and they have just unloaded a lorry-load of rifles. Now what? NOW WHAT???

Reviewer: Maquiavel - - February 27, 2007
Subject: Download
How can I download this movie to my computer?

Reviewer: urbain - - December 22, 2006
Subject: niet downloaden
hoe komt het dat ik deze film niet kan downloaden ?

Reviewer: ladylove72 - - October 16, 2006
Subject: Classic Lorre
I can't believe Lorre had to learn most of his lines phonetically in this movie since he had not yet learned English. Just shows the quality and professionalism of this intelligent actor. A comment about the reviewer who thought the actress playing the daughter was too old: I can understand the confusion. I don't know if it's the clothing, the hairstyles, or the effect of B&W movies, but I've always over-guessed the ages of actors in flicks myeself. An actress I've assumed was in her mid-20's turns out to be 19, etc. Lorre is a classic example. He's between 29 and 30 years old in this movie, yet he appears much older. Favorite moment: when Clive and Bob are singing clues to each other while pretending to sing sun-worshiping songs. :)

Reviewer: Hisham - - September 11, 2006
Subject: Great movie
This man keeps on facinating us

Reviewer: stluce1969 - - September 10, 2006
Subject: Better than the remake...
Hitchcock while he's still coming into his own. Comparing both versions is an excellent studt in the development of filmmaker. Oh, and contrary to a couple of the post below, Nova Pilbeam was only 15 when this film was made.

Reviewer: Yodelling Llama - - August 9, 2006
Subject: Eh.
Mediocre, scattered film. Much like most of Hitchcock, only more so. Peter Lorre shines. The British wit comes through in certain scenes. But uneven to the point where it is not a terribly enjoyable experience.

Reviewer: gojira-kun - - July 29, 2006
Subject: Sweet young things
Though I love this movie, I find the casting of the daughter downright goofy. The actress is obviouly well past her teens, but listening to her dialogue you realize the role was written for a kid maybe 12 to 14 years old. The girl's behavior makes sense in that context, but it's really weird when portrayed by a grown woman.

Reviewer: pdfatts - - October 22, 2005
Subject: Naturally
A quality Hitchcock. The very end is a bit goofy though.

Reviewer: moxey - - August 24, 2005
Subject: very good
i agree with the last reviewer.this is much superior to the remake.
And Peter Lorre is at his creepiest best.
why can,t hollywood crank out any top notch talent they had back in the 1930's-1970's?

can't think of any since that was,nt a self absorbed drug addict.

or maybe there was then too.
you just did'nt see them on Oprah whinning or at the latest leftist protest rally.

anyway,great film,great actors and one great director.

Reviewer: Audiojoe - - August 24, 2005
Subject: Brilliant Comedic Thriller
This is one of the "Hitchcock Five", a series of five thrillers that made his name before he went to America and conquered the world of film forever. This version of the Man Who Knew Too Much is superior to the remake with James Stewart, as it retains the charm and thrills of the chase without getting bogged down in sentiment and feelings of hopelessness, which lets face it, would be pretty hard to do if your child was kidnapped!!

For a fun, breezy ride, with plenty of exciting set-pieces and some great performances and direction, you should definitely check this out. I bought it a while ago, and am amazed that it has fallen into the public domain, as it's one of the Master's absolute classics

Credits

Cast includes Leslie Banks, Edna Best, Peter Lorre, Frank Vosper, Hugh Wakefield, Nova Pilbeam, Pierre Fresnay, Cicely Oates, D.A. Clarke Smith, and George Curzon.